"It's all Yankee tickets, Yankee food, Yankee tickets, Yankee food, maybe a Love's drugstore."

Given the number of retirees from the New York region, Mets and Yankee tickets are particularly scarce.

Stephen Schmeelk, the owner, has been offered everything from $100 bills to Yankee tickets to dates with women to squeeze in a few more alumni.

Yankee tickets will go on sale next Friday at Yankee Stadium and through Ticketmaster (212) 293-6013.

Yankee tickets go up every year.

A new deposit of $5,000 is good for a pair of Yankee tickets.

Asked if his destination could be New York, Beltran immediately started talking about an uncle who lives in the Bronx and would want free Yankee tickets.

Most shook their heads, except for one boy who remembered, "Once I did when my dad was trying to get Yankee tickets."

But his children are Yankee fans and did not want to attend Mets games with him, so he bought his Yankee tickets.

The Yankees and George Steinbrenner have only to look at the price on a Yankee ticket to find out why fans are staying away.